Category: SilverHairs Enterprise

For SHE activities only

EPIC 1000km KDF Millennium Ride 2017 – A Charity Event participation by Ivan Lim

Hi SHCians,

A charity ride a year helps keep the doctors away…

Hahahaaa! No lah! It’s just my coined saying only.

But seriously, for 2017, I am back to the EPIC 1000km Charity Ride.

Had a shoulder injury (non-cycling related) in late 2015 and had to drop out of the EPIC 2016 Charity Ride in January last year.

Like my previous efforts with the EPIC Cyclists, do note that for every SGD10/- of contributions you make through my profile for this EPIC 1000KM Charity Ride 2017, I will pledge SGD1/- from my own pocket, up to a maximum of SGD500/- …… just doing my $$$ part too and giving forward.

Hope to count on your support again! TQ in advance!

Lastly, wishing all SHCians, A Healthy, Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year 2017!

Ivan Lim

To find out more details of this Charity Fundraising Event or to donate online, please go to this link:
https://give.asia/movement/epic_1000km_kdf_millennium_ride_2017_-_ivanlim_ic_man

For other details/queries and/or off-line donations in Cash or Cheques, please let me know by commenting here. Will try my best to answer them.

Opportunity to tap the newly launched Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (RaiSE)

RaiSE was launched on 27 May 2015.  In Channel News Asia”s report today, RaiSE will distribute $30m worth of grant and investments over 5 years to boost social enterprises. The requirements are a financial assessment, a compelling social objective and a proven sustainability of the business model.  The amount awarded depends on the maturity of the social enterprise.  Funding will support proof-of-concept.

RaiSE notes that many social enterprises face challenges such as talent, business know-how and funding.

SilverHairsClub has a clear objective of providing a platform for Singaporeans, over 45 to meet new and more friends.  It has been operating since Oct 2005, and we would be celebrating our 10th anniversary this Oct.  We have many activities.

1.  As a social enterprise, our EOs and ECs have organised numerous activities.  We have no lack of activities, as we believe in our concept of one member doing an activity during the life of his/her membership.  Some EOs have been organising and running activities for the last 10 years.

2.  Financially, SHC operates on a cost basis.  The Club does not collect membership fees, and as long as members are over 45, Singaporeans and PR, they are eligible to join as a member of SilverHairsClub.  We have been operating 10 years under this financial model.  Although we do not have a physical premise to call our own or rent from a landlord, we have managed well with public venues and private premises.

3.  In terms of management, we operate with minimal manpower.  Some of our key roles are membership admin, IT and hosting services and support services to our SilverHairsClub.com.  All other operations and management work are within the role of the EOs and ECs.

4.  With the existing model and concept, SHC can expand its social enterprise to other Singaporeans and PRs living within mainland Singapore.  Funding and assistance from RaiSE will widen our scope, our membership and sustain our activities.

What do you think?  Shall we actively seek assistance from RaiSE?  And what can you do be part of the committee to seek this assistance? Thinking.

Today’s article is available at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-agency-offers-funding/1876884.html

Terence Seah

Hosting gatherings at your home

shclogo300  house1  febmtg4

For SHC events, we have held many of our activities at restaurants, cafes, cinemas, foodcourt, public parks and beaches, country clubs, homes, condo function rooms, hotels, sometimes in Singapore, nearby countries and also faraway destinations.

We can now explore further, having some of our activities in the homes. I guess we can work on the following concept.
1.  SilverHairsClub will organise and pay for the use of the place, food and drinks, clean-up and a fee for the maid.
2. We can do small groups, hosting 5-15 members, subject to venue and member’s convenience.
3. All activities are open to Seniors in Singapore and SilverHairsClub members. There will be a fee charged.
4. For security purposes, only members who register personally at SilverHairsClub.com can participate.
5. Each gathering would have a focus eg mahjong, arts and crafts, karaoke, viewing a movie, sharing pictures of an overseas holiday, cooking and receipe planning sessions and hydroponics gardening. Games, chess, holiday planning, small business discussions, IT sharing, talks and charity programs can also be in the plan.
Casual chitchats are unlikely to be organised by the club. Chit-chat activities can be organised by any member, as is being done now by ECs.
6. Concept-wise, the organiser will be SilverHairsClub, so the club can schedule various prgrams. The member in the house or apartment plays the role of host, and makes his/her place available on certain dates and times. The activity will be held, subject to acceptance by the venue member and SilverHairsClub.
7. The objective of hosting activities in the homes is to encourage close group interaction among members for specific interest. We are looking at running these activities regularly, rather than adhoc basis. As our activities are not govt-funded and as volunteers are hard to come by, we have to find a workable solution to pay for costs and the organisers and yet give an option for SilverHairs and other seniors to enjoy their interests and meet up with friends.
8. An organising committee, comprising SilverHairsClub members, will be set up to manage these activities.  The team committee will be paid a reasonable fee.
This idea of “Hosting activities in the homes” is not new. It has been ongoing and organised by various members. But, it has been limited to small groups and not open to other members.
* if you are able to host agatherings in your home, please contact me at +65 94894360. You can also indicate your interest here.
*. Members who like to be part of this team, and help organise activities in the homes, please also let me know.
Terence Seah

 

Introducing iShop@SHC, a SilverHairs Enterprise project 2015

buy online3  buy online2  buy online1

Background:  To enable some members to sell their personal items on the SHC forum, we had started the SHC online Fleamart.  This Post begins each month, and members can sell their personal items.  Jassmine Teo was leading this project.  We started with no picture, and the IT guys have added picture capability to the Posts and later t the comments.  The usage of this service varies from one to 5 items per month. Corporate or business items were excluded in the month online fleamart.  The online fleamart had stopped recently due to inadequate response and lack of members volunteering to lead and follow up each month.

There was good interest among members for the physical Fleamart.  From feedback, we had a few fleamarts, and the result range from so so to successful.  The last fleamart was held at Civil Service Sports Club.

Last few years, we had feedback to set up and gather a group to buy and sell in bulk.  The ideas toyed around, but there was insufficient interest.  I guess the thinking was that it is easier to buy from the suupermarket, than to harnesss a group to buy in bulk.  Maybe there is the logistic difficulty.  But, we keep this idea fresh and on-going, and if the item is workable, let’s pick it up again.

There has always been interests by some members to sell their corporate items.  The items vary.  The members who are interested are those with products and services, ideally suited to seniors and their elderly family members.  Various groups within SHC have met to discuss online selling; setting up a website, use of available shopping portals eg eBay, gumtree, etc. There were talks on delivery difficulties, collection of payment, and the type of products and services to be offered.  But, I guess the various groups did not take off their ideas, due to varied interests, concerns with starting an online business as most of us are no long as young as we thought, funding and fear of the long process in setting up an online shopping business.

iShop@SHC, a SilverHairs Enterprise project for 2015

We are all still dreaming, even though we may be young.  Well, if you have still the idea of running an online shopping business, dont give up.,  I think there is sufficient interest among some members, and I have asked my India guys to help set up a simple online shopping service called “iShop@SHC”.   Due to the legality and business nature, “iShop@SHC” will be operated under SilverHairs Enterprise Pte Ltd.  iShop@SHC will be a project of SilverHairs Enterprise, and is not intended to be a money losing project, unlike events and activities under SilverHairs Club which usually loses money.

Our India IT guys have just completed iShop@SHC.  The project starts with Adult diapers, and today, it has only 4 items.  The online shopping will be promoted in SHC and in newspapers and other media in Singapore.  It features payment collections via paypal, credit card, ATM transfer and internet banking.  The delivery portion is still in progress and limited; but I hope it will grow as we go along.  URL SilverHairs-Enterprise.org.

A few members, who have their own products and services, have been discussing with me to use iShop@SHC.  If you are interested to sell your products or services as a business, especially to seniors and elderlies, please contact me via Whatsapp.  Think about your products or services, pictures, pricing, your competition, payment, banking procedures, storage of your products, orders handling, delivery and modes of communicating with your buyers and delivery team.

diaperslaunch   For a start, we have started with adult diapers, and the product identified is CERTAINTY Adult diapers, from Thailand.  This is an operational service.  If you like to run your own online shopping services under iShop@SHC, please understand the workings of the portal iShop@SHC.

Thank you to the members who have helped to test the service and offered ideas on test iShop@SHC.

Terence Seah

SilverHairs Enterprise has just set up a payment counter

payment counter1payment counter2 payment counter3SilverHairs Enterprise (SHE) intends to be more active.  In the past few years, SilverHairs Enterprise was used as the entity to engage companies, other social groups and government departments. We had not run activities under SHC before. Depending on the activities, SHE may be the entity to run some of the larger activities for SilverHairs and Singaporeans, PRs in general.  SHE is a business entity and is not intended to function at a loss.  Currently, SHE owns the website domain SilverHairsClub.com and all names related to the SilverHairsClub.

Different committee will be identified to run larger gatherings and programs.  Committee members will be compensated.

If there is payment required for the SilverHairs Enterprise activity, payment will be made online via Paypal or credit card.  A button has been set up on the right column of SilverHairsClub;.com.

Thank you to Jassmine Teo, Yew Kwong and Hew Lee for triggering the idea of online payment.

Terence Seah

Looking forward to bigger and more activities

idea1   idea3idea4Here is an idea and thought which I like to pursue, together with other interested members.

All our activities have so far been organised by members, and mainly for members.  The EOs have organised these events very well.  Of course, we do have difficulties finding enough EOs or ECs.  There are reasons.

The Club has been successful in this sense, because of the EOs and ECs. I have been thinking about organising more gatherings and events but opening it to other Singaporeans and PRs.  Hopefully, we achieve our aim to have a more balanced sex ratio in our Club activities.  Perhaps, more men will join SilverHairsClub.  We are always short of men in our activities.  This is serious matter.  As a result, we failed to launch Paper Clips.

And hopefully, with an expanded group of participants, we will find more EOs and ECs to organise more SHC activities.  Many members who have found friends in SHC have formed their own private groups, and have their own activities, leaving out the other members in general.  These groups have migrated to UK or Australia, or somewhere.

It is unfortunate that many EOs and ECs feel the frustration and disappointment of negative remarks from members.  While everybody has the right to rebutt and comment, the element of sensitivity is not there.  I shall share with you more some day.

We have to do something or else our active SHC members will dwindle.  I still hope every member will organise one activity during the lifetime of your membership.  If you have not done your part for the club as an EO, please consider.  You may seek assistance from other senior SHCians.

Based on conversations with members, the idea of expanding to Singaore in general is good, but this may not work because we lack EOs and we lack helpers.  Many members are busy, may be still working and unwilling for many reasons; some members feel they prefer to participate in small groups, rather than big groups.  And, some feel they should be compensated for their services doing supporting roles for the Club.

But, I think we should not give up.  The Club still continues with what it has been doing so far, as it has worked.

I am now thinking of engaging our group of retirees, to bring more activities and life to other Singaporeans and PR.  Activities will be extended to all Singapore. These activities will be run under the umbrella of the SilverHairs Enterprise Pte Ltd.  SHE owns the club blog SilverHairsClub.com and the name “SilverHairsClub”.  Committee members will be compensated.  If you are retired, have the time, and would like to join the SHE committee to organise activities, please let me know.  Feel free to discuss.  You may also whatsapp me.  We are at stage 1 – idea stage.

Members who have questions or ideas, please do raise them.  I love positive thinking.

Terence Seah

Travel venture

Hi All Members

Many of us travel and join tours, either package or free n easy ones. Some members are very knowledgeable about some countries as they spend years/months there.

I am wondering if Silverhairs can come up with, for a country: recommended sightseeing places to visit, shop, eat and also stay with costs, itineraries etc. With them as the contact persons and even acting, where possible as guides, I think members feel safer (especially travelling single, small group etc) as the contact person is another Silverhairs member.

Can this be handled by a travel coordinator/s in the club who is a keen traveller with time and perhaps even turn it into a business venture for himself/herself/themselves, catering to Silverhairs members?

Just an idea.
Joan (Perth)